Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I posted in the For Sale area about a possible sale for one of my Rathenbacker's (see pic). Seemingly, there is no interest. I am now curious whether the 4-2-5 and VVT mod makes this undesirable. What would this be worth to anyone? Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

I love those 4004cii 4-2-5 basses ... they are real players ... I have been wanting one for a few years ...

I would think you could get anywhere from $1200 to $1800 for it ... possibly even $2000 ...

The real problem is the 4004 doesn't get the respect it deserves. The collectors grab up the 60s and 70s 4001s and the 4001cs, 4001v63, and 4001c64 models as well. And the 4003 is doing well. But the 4004 is so modern that Rickenbacker collectors grab them up.

The truth is the 4004ci 4-2-5 is a better bass than the 5 string basses that Ric produced. The 4003s5 is hard to play finger style, and the 4004cii5 pickups only cover 3 of the 5 strings. I love my 4003 4-2-5 it is a player and a looker. But the 4004 4-2-5 basses are better in some ways. They have the quiet but growlly hb1 pickups and a finger friendly bridge spacing and a neck that is slim and friendly by 5 string standards.

If you want to sell it I might grab it up. Although I was thinking more of a 4004 trans red or fireglo.

I think the VVT is fine but the 5th tuner hole placement in the headstock is a deal breaker for me. For a stock Cii with similar flaming I don't think $2k is out of the question. The amount of interested buyers for a Ric modded like this is going to be quite limited as well (IMO). As to what it's worth.....it's hard to say and my opinion would probably be on the "quite low" side so I'll leave it for others to discuss.

I agree that the 4004 in general gets little respect/attention. I don't think the 4-2-5 conversion or the electronics mods makes a big difference, it starts with a lot of folks just not knowing the model and what it can do.

A bigger issue may be the economy - many people are holding on to their wallets more closely than in the past.

As others have mentioned, the 4004 basses do not have the appeal nor get the respect they deserve like the 4001 and 4003 do. Funny how people want RIC to make new models, then when RIC does, they just keep buying the classic models.
All that needs to happen is one or two high profile bassists start using a 4004 and then the masses will want one. I don't count Lemmy with his 4004LK, since that was a special model and the body wings were more 4003-like than 4004-like.
Paul, sorry but I think the mod has devalued that bass. I think that mod has less effect on the value of a 4003. I'm sure it sounds and plays very well, but that fact that it did not leave the RIC factory like that, nor was the mod done by Paul W. or Dale, kind of kills the value from the collectors point of view. Also to mention that most people think this headstock mod looks odd. I think if the mod was done the way Dane explained it and performed by a luthier like Paul W. or Dale, the value might not be lower. This is just my humble opinion. Maybe to the right person it would be worth quite a bit the way it is.
It's a very nice bass. Would I like it?..yes, however I can't see paying more than I think it is worth, then if I had to sell it, take quite a loss.

Thanks for all of the feedback. If the perceived value is low, it makes better sense to keep it.

Paul, I have to say I'm not normally a big fan of the aesthetics of the 4004, but that is really nice!

Paul I think you have a few of things going against you here - the time of year, the economic slow down and the fact that the 4004 is one of the best kept secrets in all of Ric-dom. I think any time you modify an instrument you take a chance in devaluing it. In this case I really don’t think it would hurt it but you have now made it a 5er and that would require someone wanting a 5er to buy it (not a majority of the bass playing population). This is not a wacked out conversion (like my 4to8 4004L). It is within the bounds of ‘normalcy’. So, I think the first three reasons are what is keeping you from the activity you are seeking (season, economy & model recognition).

Tom, in the case of your 4004l/8, it has a well planned out mod that looks very good. I don't know if the value of your bass increased. Maybe it did. I certainly don't think your bass lost value with that mod.

rickenbrother wrote:I certainly don't think your bass lost value with that mod.

+1, I would say it increased.

sloop_john_b wrote:

rickenbrother wrote:I certainly don't think your bass lost value with that mod.

+1, I would say it increased.

Yep, I agree as well.

I think a VVT wiring increases the usefulness of a 4004 and probably its value. The stacked pots is a nice option as well.

And there are so few 5 string Rickenbackers out there that if you put it up on ebay then someone will buy it for a good price.

Most of the people on this web site are more into checkered binding, horseshoe pickups, toaster pickup, grover tuners, backwards tuners, .0047 capacitors, flatwound strings, Ric-o-sound, mechanical mutes, and other retro features ... to most of them the idea of a low B on a bass is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. But on ebay you get a different cross section of bass players. 40% or more of bass players use 5 string basses. On this site there are less than 10% who use 5 string basses. So you may not get a lot of interest in that bass here.

I think that bass would look awesome with black trim!

This is one of the things I don't care for on this forum. It's not always about value and collecting. I had a 4003 4-2-5 that I got on this forum for a good price as a 4. I had Jeff mod it before I even got it. I then got the bug for a 4004, and got one from P-O-R. I then sold my 4-2-5 to Qwezi (a good deal for him), who couldn't get the action low enough to please him. So, with a little cash for me for the 4004, we traded basses, and then he did a 4-2-5 on the 4004. We are now both happy, didn't pay an arm and a leg, and ready to rock on.


Collectible, schmollectible!

I'm with you Charly. Mine's a work horse and we both ended up (I hope you are, I know I am) happy. And I love the blue one, but the original asking price is just out of my range.

I agree....my Laredo and LK are both my workhorses. I don't keep anything for "collector" purposes. The original question was a question of value of a particular modified Cii and modifications do have value consequences unless the particular mod happens to appeal to you. It certainly isn't out of line to say that the 4-2-5 mod can have a negative impact on value......or if it appeals to someone it can be a bonus. I also can't see how it can be argued that the majority of Ric-nuts scoff at any minor mod let alone one that is n't easily converted backto stock. So therefore to answer the original poster's question, value and collectibility came into play when discussing a sale price for his modded Cii.

I appreciate any mod that makes the owner happy.......extra tuners, non-Ric p/u's, whammy bars, custom paint or whatever works but it also must be realized that in the typical RIc market they can have a negative impact on resale prices.